Willian will be 'major trump card' for Spurs

Wednesday 21 August 2013 07:23 BST

Ousted Anzhi Makhachkala boss Rene Meulensteen believes Tottenham will have landed "a major trump card" if they secure the signing of Willian from the Russian club.

A major overhaul of policy from billionaire owner Suleyman Kerimov has seen Anzhi look to offload several highly-paid players, and Tottenham have been strongly linked with a move for Brazilian attacking midfielder Willian.

Reports of a £30million move to White Hart Lane have not been confirmed by Tottenham, however Meulensteen has no doubt 25-year-old Willian would fit in well to Premier League life.

"I've worked with him for a short time but I really, really like him. He will be an asset for whoever's going to get him," said Meulensteen on Sky Sports News.

"If it's Spurs that's going to get him they'll get an excellent player. He's very versatile, he can play in different positions, he's a very creative player and an excellent professional with a very good personality.

"He's going to be a major trump card for Spurs if they can get the deal to go through.

"He can beat a player, he can score a goal. I thought he was an absolute delight to work with."

Tottenham have so far kept Gareth Bale on their books amid strong interest from Real Madrid this summer, and if the Welsh attacker is to leave north London for the Spanish capital the Spurs faithful will hope the club find a replacement with similar ability.

Former Manchester United first-team coach Meulensteen, who spent barely a month at Anzhi before departing in recent days, cautioned against likening Willian to Bale, however, saying: "You can't compare the two, he's a completely different player."